scholarly journals Group Work and Peer Assessment in Optometry Higher Education.

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-18
Author(s):  
Fabrizio Zeri ◽  
Riccardo Cervio ◽  
Marta Mosci ◽  
Silvia Tavazzi ◽  
Shehzad Naroo
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teaching Strategies ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Peer Assessment ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Social Teaching ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Positive Correlations

In health-related professions, education has unique challenges. Problem-based learning can be extremely useful and driven by strategies such as group-work (GW) and peer assessment (PA), which are both used as formative and assessment tools. This study aimed to explore experience and perceptions about GW and PA held by educators and students in optometry. In a first survey, 45 Italian educators (43.8 ± 13.0 years old) of optometric clinical modules answered an email questionnaire investigating their attitudes towards GW and PA. In a second survey, 66 3rd-year undergraduates (22.5 ± 2.0 years old) answered a questionnaire investigating the perception and attitudes towards GW and PA at the beginning and at the end of a module of Advanced Optometry structured with a formative/summative GW activity with a final PA. Two-thirds of optometry educators declared they use GW, but not as a summative assessment tool. Only a quarter of the sample answered that they used PA at least once. Educators’ attitudes towards GW were more positive than PA (p < 0.001). About 60% and 80% of the interviewed students stated they have never participated in GW and PA, respectively. Students’ pre-course attitudes towards GW and PA resulted in values close to the middle of the scale with no significant differences and positive correlations between them (p < 0.001). When students’ GW attitudes were compared with educators’ GW attitudes, the latter were more positive. Students’ post-course attitudes towards GW and PA were enhanced. Although GW and PA are considered very good strategies to improve teaching, the results of the present study have demonstrated that the use of these strategies in Italian optometric higher education is limited. However, the study has also demonstrated that Italian optometry educators have positive attitudes towards “social” teaching strategies especially for GW. Furthermore, optometry students showed improved attitudes towards these strategies once exposed to them. Overall, the results of the study open the possibility to integrate “social” teaching strategies to improve the effectiveness of optometry education. 

scholarly journals Emergency care education in South Africa and the unique requirement of physical preparedness: A scoping review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dagmar Muhlbauer ◽  
Craig Vincent-Lambert ◽  
Yoga Coopoo
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Emergency Care ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Knowledge Gap ◽  
Care Education ◽  
Narrative Literature Review ◽  
Task Oriented

Introduction The Bachelor Degree in Emergency Medical Care (BEMC) is a unique program in that students operate in both emergency care and rescue contexts, unlike international paramedic degree programs which focus only on emergency care. The learning activities associated with the rescue content are physically strenuous and therefore BEMC students need to be physically and mentally prepared to engage in diverse austere environments. Although South African BEMC programs have a common medical rescue curriculum, approaches to the training and assessment of physical preparedness vary between the institutions. The objective of this research was to explore the knowledge gap through the review of literature that describes the unique physical preparedness requirements in the field of emergency care education. Methods We conducted a scoping review in the form of a narrative literature review. Results Seventy-five (n) articles were initially identified, however, only four were relevant to the objective of this study. This highlighted the paucity of literature describing the unique physical fitness requirements of the BEMC program and the current challenges experienced by educators in the field. Conclusion While physical preparedness training exists in higher education institutes and there are assessments conducted at these higher education institutes, none of these assessment tools have yet been scientifically validated which creates a challenge for educators. The current knowledge gap within EMC education is therefore the absence of a scientifically validated task-oriented physical preparedness assessment tool which addresses the desired physical attributes and abilities of EMC students linked to the BEMC curriculum and associated learning experiences.

Use of WhatsApp in Higher Education

2016 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 272-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Çetin Güler
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Peer Assessment ◽  
The Other ◽  
Mobile Phone Application ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Assessment In Higher Education

The aim of this study is to investigate the use of WhatsApp application in anonymous peer assessment in higher education. The mobile phone application WhatsApp was used as both an anonymous and nonanonymous peer assessment tool in a classroom environment. The participants of the study were the students of two classes (sophomores and juniors), half of which were assigned to the anonymous peer assessment group and the other half to the nonanonymous peer assessment group for each class. The members of the anonymous groups used the personal messaging function of WhatsApp for assessment, whereas the nonanonymous groups used the group chat function of the application. WhatsApp was confirmed to be a valid tool for peer assessment, and it was shown that the required anonymity of the method was appropriate for the task. The students' perceived attitudes toward the procedure were found to be rather high, with no significant difference identified between the sophomores and junior groups related to the procedure.

scholarly journals Development of a Multidimensional App-Quality Assessment Tool for Health-Related Apps (AQUA)

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 13-23
Author(s):  
Teresa O'Rourke ◽  
Rüdiger Pryss ◽  
Winfried Schlee ◽  
Thomas Probst
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Cognitive Testing ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
German Language ◽  
User Engagement ◽  
Quality Assessment Tool ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Related

Background A multitude of health-related mobile applications is available to the public in app stores. Many of these apps were not developed by health professionals and do not keep what they promise. To facilitate a safe handling and use of such apps, it is important to assess their quality in a standardized way. Some instruments for app quality assessment exist, although they have some limitations, which we want to improve on with this new assessment tool. Objectives The objective of this paper is to introduce a new multidimensional criteria-based tool for the quality assessment of health-related apps. Method Based on existing app-quality assessment tools and guidelines for evaluating health-related app-quality, items were constructed to assess objective and subjective app-quality. A pretest in form of cognitive testing was conducted with six participants and some items were optimized. Results An expert and a user version of AQUA were developed in English and German language. The expert version consists of 31 items in the seven dimensions Usability, User Engagement, Content, Visual Design, Therapeutic Quality, Security and Information. The user version consists of 34 items and additionally includes the dimension Impact. Conclusion AQUA is a brief multidimensional app-quality assessment tool that can be used for the quality assessment of health-related and mental health-related apps by experts and app-users.

Levering Critical Collaboration

2017 ◽  
pp. 169-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Lara Crosby ◽  
Adam C. Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Peer Assessment ◽  
First Year ◽  
Collaborative Processes ◽  
Interdisciplinary Design ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
The University

This chapter presents an intervention in Design Thinking, a first year interdisciplinary design subject at the University of Technology Sydney. Over two iterations of this subject, researchers reframed the ‘group work' component as critical collaboration, drawing from the momentum in the design professions for more participatory and collaborative processes and the increasing acknowledgement of design as being critical to sustainable human futures. The online self and peer assessment tool SPARKPlus was used to change the way students approached collaboration and then reflected on it following their experiences. In this model, self and peer assessment is used as a leaver to encourage critical thinking about collaboration, rather than as a hammer to enforce participation.

Higher education institution sustainability assessment tools

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 322-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heloisa Cronemberger de Araújo Góes ◽  
Alessandra Magrini
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
International Programs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Sustainability Assessment Tools ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to gather elements to propose a sustainability assessment tool (SAT) to be used in higher education institutions (HEIs) in Brazil and the related program to be created for SAT dissemination and HEI monitoring, publication of results and benchmarking. Design/methodology/approach The characteristics of eight SATs were identified, seven of which are applied through widely known international programs to identify aspects to be considered in the definition of the Brazilian model. Findings In Brazil, stakeholders usually do not know how HEIs develop their potential to contribute with the construction of a sustainable development model. There currently is an international trend, which Brazil must join, to assess HEI sustainability through SATs. The comparison between different international SATs and respective programs yields some recommendations for a Brazilian model, such as definition of their purpose, types of questions to be used, the possibility to apply SATs to HEI sub-units, means of dissemination and others. Research limitations/implications The research limitation is the difficulty to obtain information allowing a deeper understanding of sustainability-related activities developed by Brazilian HEIs. Practical implications This paper provides a base on which to construct SAT and program models tailored for Brazil. Originality/value This is the first paper that stresses the importance of adopting a SAT tailored for Brazil, by comparing and discussing models that may be used for that purpose.

scholarly journals Assessment of Sustainability Governance in Higher Education Institutions—A Systemic Tool Using a Governance Equalizer

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Niedlich ◽  
Mara Bauer ◽  
Margarita Doneliene ◽  
Larissa Jaeger ◽  
Marco Rieckmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Stakeholder Participation ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Functional Requirements ◽  
Five Dimensions ◽  
Sustainability Governance ◽  
Governance In Higher Education

The paper aims to add to the discussion on sustainability governance in higher education institutions by examining the role of sustainability assessment and introducing an assessment tool inspired by systemic thinking and centered on a ‘governance equalizer’. It discusses recent research and argues that the complexity inherent in sustainability governance remains to be addressed adequately. While a number of models and frameworks have been proposed, most of them remain caught between narrow, management-oriented approaches on the one hand, and rather abstract approaches that provide little guidance for improving the field on the other. Sustainability assessment tools represent a potential way to bridge this gap. While there are existing tools which include issues of sustainability governance, these are often limited to aspects that are easily quantifiable and neglect more complex aspects. Against this background, the article proposes an alternative tool to assess sustainability governance in higher education institutions. The tool is based on a multi-case study in Germany and has been tested in a series of workshops. Drawing on the concept of a ‘governance equalizer’, it focuses on the functional requirements of sustainability governance in five dimensions—politics, profession, organization, knowledge, and the public—and how they are addressed by the HEI. The tool raises the level of abstraction in order to capture complexity, but at the same time keeps sight of governance structures, processes, instruments, and practices. It combines clearly defined criteria that are assessed using carefully developed maturity scales with a focus on stakeholder participation and knowledge.

scholarly journals Sustainable Assessment Tools for Higher Education Institutions: Guidelines for Developing a Tool for China

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (16) ◽  
pp. 6501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yawei Du ◽  
Monique H. Arkesteijn ◽  
Alexandra C. den Heijer ◽  
Kun Song
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Research Team ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Local Sustainability ◽  
Desk Research

Higher education institutions (HEIs) in both early and mature stages of sustainable development (SD) have been moving toward sustainability. Methods for assessing SD have been developed from global and regional contexts to support sustainability efforts. The purpose of this paper is to formulate guidelines as input to develop a sustainable assessment tool (SAT) for China based on the current SD stage of Chinese HEIs. Through desk research, SATs were selected and analyzed. Fifteen SATs consisting of more than 1000 indicators included in the analysis and based on components for developing SATs were identified, and then the components were selected and discussed through an online workshop engaging a 34-people Chinese research team, in order to formulate the guidelines for Chinese HEIs. The findings reveal that the emphasis of SATs mainly results from their contexts, purposes and stages, backgrounds or focus. Chinese HEIs are in the early SD stage, and the multiple purposes and components of SATs are identified to support local sustainability efforts. Having a clear understanding of the current SD stages of SATs and selecting the components accordingly would enable them to fully reach their potential in practice, especially in the case of early SD HEIs.

Pain assessment tools for chronic lower limb wounds: A scoping review

2019 ◽  
pp. 27-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicoletta Frescos
Keyword(s):  
Scoping Review ◽  
Pain Assessment ◽  
Lower Limb ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Wound Pain ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
Meta Analyses

Background Pain in chronic lower limb wounds has been identified as one of the most painful wounds and negatively impacts health-related quality of life and wound healing. In order to optimise pain management, it is necessary to accurately assess wound pain, however there is no identified reliable and valid assessment specifically for wound-related pain in the lower extremities. Objective The objective of this review was to identify how wound-related pain is assessed in people with chronic lower limb wounds. Design A scoping review of the literature was conducted. Methods A search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PsycINFO was undertaken of eligible studies that reported on assessment tools for pain in chronic lower limb wounds from inception 1946 to current June 2018. Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomised controlled trials, observational and qualitative studies were included. Discussion This study investigated the current assessment tools being utilised for pain in chronic lower limb wounds. Conclusion There is no validated pain assessment tool for patients with chronic lower limb wounds.

The Use of Peer Assessment as an Inclusive Learning Strategy in Higher Education Institutions

2022 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Eleni Meletiadou
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Alternative Assessment ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Peer Assessment ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Training And Support

Peer assessment (PA) is one of the most popular forms of alternative assessment currently used in higher education institutions worldwide. In the current study, PA was used as an inclusive assessment tool to enhance students' writing skills and motivation towards writing and learning in general. Forty-two undergraduate students attended an academic writing module for one academic semester. The overall aim was to develop their writing skills taking into consideration their individual differences and ensuring all students had an opportunity to succeed. Students received training in PA and were then involved in reciprocal anonymous PA. Findings indicated that learners improved their writing skills considerably and became more independent learners. Their motivation also increased as they could better understand the assessment criteria. However, they confessed that they needed more training and support and they believed that PA should also be used in other modules and courses to enhance student collaboration and reflection.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document